Shoe-polishing machine.



Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

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A. D. WASHINGTON.

SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION PIILBD NOV.4,1910.

Patented Mar. '19, 1912.

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A. D. WASHINGTON.

SHOE POLISHING MAOHINB.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4,1910.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

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ALFRED D. WASHINGTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SHOE-POLISHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Application filed November 4, 1910. Serial No. 590,624.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED D. WVAsHINo- TON,

of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulI1nprovements in Shoe-Polishing Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a shoe polishing machine and its object is toprovide a simple and efficient device for the purpose having means forautomatically brushing a shoe, applying blacking and polishing thesurface.

T 0 this end the invention consists in cer' tain new and useful featuresin the construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the claims referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 ofa machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the samewith the casing in section and parts removed to show the construction;Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; andFig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 1 showing a portion of thecasing in plan View.

As shown in the drawings 1 is a suitable rectangular casing providedwith a top or cover 2 forming a platform upon which a chair may beplaced for the user of the ma chine. At the forward end of the platformis a raised portion 3 having two oblong openings 4 through which theuser may insert his feet and place them upon suitable shoe stands orsupports 5 secured in place upon longitudinal sills 6 beneath theopenings. Secured upon the sills or longitudinal supporting members 6and also upon similar parallel members 7 at each side of the casing areguide-ways 8 for reciprocable frames or carriages 9 and 10. At theextreme rear end of the machine within the casing is an electric motor11 provided with a pinion 12 on its shaft engaging a large gear 13 on acrank shaft 14 mounted in bearings upon the sills 6 and 7 and extendingacross the machine. This crank shaft is provided with three cranks towhich connecting rods 15 are attached, the opposite ends of said rodsbeing pivotally attached to the rear ends of the a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Detroit, in the county I carriages 9 and10. The center carriage 9 is arranged to reciprocate in its guidewayslongitudinally of the frame between the shoe stands and the two sidecarriages 10 are reciprocated longitudinally of the frame adjacent tothe outer-sides of the two shoe stands. Upon each carriage 10 is avertically extending supporting wall 16 along its outer edge and asimilar parallel wall 17 along its inner edge at a short distance fromthe shoe stand. Secured to the wall 17 near its rear end is a stationarybrush 18 and mounted in an opening in the wall just forward of the brush18 is a brush 19 pivotally attached to the wall to turn upon a verticalaxis within the opening, said pivots 20 for the brush being locatedintermediate its ends. The supporting wall 17 is secured to the carriageto slide thereon toward and from the fixed wall 16 and four supportingrods 21 are attached at one end to the wall 17 and extend horizontallytherefrom through openings in the wall 16. Coiled springs 22 are sleevedupon the rods 21 between collars 23 on the rods and the wall 16 tonormally hold the wall 17 pressed laterally of the carriage toward theshoe stand to bring the brushes 18 and 19 into yielding contact with ashoe on the stand. The pivoted brush 19 has a limited swinging movementwithin its opening in the wall, said movement being limited by suitablestops 2 1 on the outer side of the wall to engage the ends of the brush.

The carriage 9 is provided with aniovable wall 17 at each side, saidwalls carrying brushes 18 and 19 mounted in the manner described and therods 21 for holding these walls 17 are supported and guided by a centralfixed wall 25 on the carriage. The crank to which the double carriage 9is attached is set oppositely to the cranks to which the singlecarriages 10 are attached, and the carriage 9 is therefore reciprocatedin a direction opposite that in which the side carriages aresimultaneously moved. Each shoe is engaged along each side and brushedby the reciprocating brushes carried by the carriages, the pivotedbrushes 19 engaging the toe portion of the shoe and turning upon theirpivot to follow the curve of the shoe.

Mounted to turn freely upon a vertically extending fixed shaft 26located adjacent to the rear end of the heel of each shoe stand, is arotatable brush 27 having a sprocket wheel 28 secured to its lower endengaged by a sprocket chain 29 which extends forwardly over a sprocket30 on a vertical shaft 31 mounted in a bracket 32 secured to the casingframe. These sprocket chains 29 are attached at 33 to the sides of thecarriage 9 so that when the carriage is reciprocated the chains aremoved and the brushes 27 revolved thereby. The shafts 31 are also turnedby the sprocket chains and motion is transmitted from these shafts torearwardly extending horizontal shafts 34 mounted in bearings on thebrackets 32, by beveled gears 35. The shafts 34 extend rearwardly fromtheir brackets over the toe portion of each shoe stand and secured uponthis projecting portion of each shaft is a circular brush 36 to engageand brush the toe portion of the shoes upon the stands. The direction inwhich the brushes 27 and 36 are revolved is changed with the change inthe direction of movement of the carriage 9 and the reciprocatingbrushes 18 and 19 for brushing the sides of the shoe are arranged toengage the revo-luble brushes 27 and 36 as they pass the same, thebrushes 18 engaging the brush 27 and the brushes l9 engaging the brush36. A suitable table or plate 37 extends over the brushes 36 and isprovided with an opening directly over each brush. Receptacles 38 arepivoted at one end to the plate 37 by pivot bolts 39 to rest upon thesurface of the plate and slide thereon, turning upon their pivots inwardfrom over the openings in the plate. These receptacles are open at theirlower side and are adapted to contain suitable cakes 40 of blacking, thecakes being held in the receptacles by open frame 41 fitting in thebottom of the receptacle and sliding upon the surface of the plate 37.When these receptacles are turned to bring them into alinement with theopenings in the plate 37, the brushes will engage the cakes of-blackingthrough the openings in the retaining frames 41 and taking the blackingtherefrom will deposit it upon the toe of the shoe. These brushes willalso deposit blacking upon the reciprocating brushes 19 which in turnwill deposit it upon the sides of the shoe at the toe portion.

Located adjacent to the rear side of the brushes 27 and below the same,are receptacles 42 for liquid blacking, and extending upward in the axisof each of these receptacles is a boss having a bore in which a rod 43is adapted to slide longitudinally. Secured upon the upper end of eachof these rods 43 is a dauber 44 consisting of a cylindrical bodyprovided with an exterior covering of felt or wicking 45. The daubersare each free to revolve upon its rod 43 and when in raised position isin engagement with the brush 27. l/Vhen in lowered position the daubersare immersed in the liquid blacking in the receptacles 42 and theirexterior coverings take up a quantity of the blacking which, when thedaubers are raised is deposited upon the bristles of the brushes 27These brushes deposit the blacking upon the heel of the shoe and alsoupon the reciprocable brushes 18 which in turn deposit it upon the sidesof the shoe at the heel portion.

The daubers 44 are automatically raised and lowered by means oflongitudinally ex tending bars 46 slidable at their ends in suitableguides 47 extending downward from the sills 6. There are four of thesebars 46, one at each side of each of said sills and mounted in suitablehangers 48 extending downward from these sills are cross shafts 49 and50. Motion is transmitted from the crank shaft 14 to the shaft 49 bymeans of a train of gears 51, said gears being arranged to reduce thespeed so that the shaft 49 will be turned at a very slow speed relativeto the crank shaft, preferably at the rate of sixty revolutions of thecrank shaft to one revolution of the cross shaft. Motion is transmittedfrom the shaft 49 to the shaft 50 by means of a longitudinal shaft 52and beveled gears 53 and 54 on the cross shafts and longitudinal shaft.Carried by the bars 46 is a cross member or plate 55 in a position toengage the lower ends of the rods 43 upon which the daubers 44 aremounted and upon the cross shafts 49 and 50 are arms 56 adapted toengage the lower edges of the bars 46 when the shafts are turned andraise said bars vertically in their guides 47. The raising of the bars46 brings the cross plate 55 into engagement with the lower end of therods 43 and raises the daubers out of the receptacles 42 into engagementwith the brushes 27. A cross plate 57 similar to the plate 55 rests uponthe bars 46 adjacent to the forward ends of said bars and secured tothis plate 57 is a vertically extending rod 58 which slides freelythrough a guide bearing 59 on a cross member of the supporting frame.Secured to the upper end of the rod 58 is a cam frame 60 slidablevertically through a guide opening 61 in the plate 37. The ends of thecam frame 60 are formed with slanting or inclined surfaces 62 to engagecam projections 63 having similarly inclined faces, upon the receptacles38.

\Vhen the bars 46 are raised by the engagement of the arms 56 therewith,the plate 57 carried by said bars will also be raised and carry the rod58 to the upper end of which the cam frame 60 is secured, verticallyupward. The inclined ends of the frame are thus brought into engagementwith the cam members 63 on the receptacles 38 and said receptacles willbe swung outwardly upon their pivots 39 into alinement with the openingsin the plate 37 directly over the brushes 36. The cam members on luv thereceptacles are held in engagement with the ends of the cam frame 60 bycables 6 1 which are attached at one end to the receptacles 38 andpassing over pulleys 65, extend downward and are attached at their lowerends to the rod 58 or other member moving Vertically with the cam frame.

The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the operator insertshis feet through the openings 4 placing his shoes firmly upon the shoestands beneath. The motor then being started, the brushes 18 and 19 ateach side of each shoe will be rapidly reciprocated, the brushes 18taking up blacking from the rotatable brushes 27 which are in engagementwith the daubers 44:. The forward brushes 19 receive blacking from thebrushes 36 which are being rapidly revolved in contact with the cakes ofblacking in the receptacles 38. The blacking is thus deposited evenlyover the sides of the shoes by the brushes 18 and 19 and upon the top ofthe -toe portion of the shoes by the brushes 36 and upon the heels ofthe shoes by the brushes 27. As the shafts 49 and 50 turn carrying thearms 56 downward the daubers 44 gradually fall and the receptacles 38are turned inward from over the openings above the brushes 36 by thecables 64. Through the medium of the sprocket chains 29 the brushes 27and 36 are revolved in one direc tion upon rearward movement of thecarriage 9 and in the opposite direction upon the forward movement ofsaid carriage thus causing these brushes to contact with the shoe evenlyand it will be noted that the brush 36 when in contact with the brush 19at one side is revolved toward said brush 19, that is, its upper side isturning downward toward the reciprocating brush and will operate tobrush the blacking from the reciprocating brush directly upon the shoeand the bristles of the reeiprocable brush will be combed andstraightened out by the revoluble brush. During one-half of therevolution of the shafts 49 and 50, the blacking devices areinoperative, that is, the receptacles 38 are turned out of engagementwith the brushes 36 and the daubers 44; are in lowered position. Theside brushes are rapidly reciprocated and after depositing the blackingupon the shoes they efl'ectually polish the sides and after the deviceswhich supply the blacking to the brushes 27 and 36 are moved out ofengagement therewith, said brushes will, by being continuously revolvedin contact with the shoes, etlectually polish the toe and heel portions.

What I claim is 1. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoesupport, reeiprocable brushes at each side of said support, means forreciprocating said brushes, a horizontally disposed rotatable brushsupported above the toe portion of said support to engage the upper sideof a toe of a shoe and to engage the reeiprocable brushes, and means fordepositing blaeking upon said rotatable brush.

In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support, reeiprocablebrushes at each side of said support, means for reciprocating saidbrushes in opposite directions, a brush rotatable upon a horizontal axisand adapted to be engaged by said reeiprocable brushes at one end oftheir movement, and means for rotating said brush and reversing thedirection of its rotation in timed relation to the movement of saidreciprocating brushes.

3. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reeiprocable brushes at each side of said support, means forreciprocating said brushes, means for supplying blacking to saidbrushes, and means for antomatically moving the supplying means into andout of operative position in timed relation to the movement of thebrushes.

4. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reeiprocable brushes at each side of said support, means forreciprocating said brushes, a horizontally disposed rotatable brushsupported in the path of the reeiprocable brushes to engage the same,means for rotating said brush, means for supplying blacking to therotatable brush, and means for automatically moving said blackingsupplying means into and out of operative position in timed relation tothe movements of the brushes.

5. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reeiprocable brushes, means for reciprocating said brushes, a

brush rotatable upon a vertical axis adapted.

to be engaged by the reeiprocable brushes, means for rotating said brushactuated by the reciprocation of the brushes and operating to reversethe direction of rotation thereof in timed relation to the movement ofthe reeiprocable brushes, a member for supplying blacking to therotatable brush movable into and out of operative relation thereto, andmeans for automatically moving said member in timed relation to theactuation of the brushes.

6. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support, a carriagereciprocable adjacent to said support, brushes on said carriage, ahorizontally disposed rotatable brush in the path of said brushes toengage the same, and means for transmitting mo tion from the carriage torotate the brush and alternately change the direction of its rotationwith the change in the direction of movement of the reeiprocablecarriage.

7. In a polishing machine the combination of a shoe support, areeiprocable carriage adjacent to said support, means for reciproeatingthe carriage, a brush mounted upon the carriage, a rotatable brushsupported in a horizontal position to extend longitudinally of thesupport and engage the other brush, and means for transmitting motionfrom the carriage to the rotatable brush comprising a sprocket chainattached to the carriage.

8. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reciprocable brushes ateach side of said support, means forreciprocating said brushes, a rotatable brush adjacent to said supportin the path of the recipr'ocable brushes, a plate adjacent to theperiphery of the rotatable brush having an opening, a receptacle forblacking movable upon said plate into and out of alinement with saidopening, and means for automatically moving said receptacle in timedrelation to the movement of the brushes.

9. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reciprocable brushes at each side of said support, means forreciprocating said brushes, a brush rotatable upon a horizontal axisadjacent to said support to engage the reciprocable brushes, means forrotating said brush actuated by the reciprocation of the reciprocablebrushes, a plate extending over said rotatable brush and provided withan opening opposite the brush, a receptacle for blacking pivotallyattached to said plate to swing into and out of alinement with saidopening, and means for swinging the receptacle in timed relation to theactuation of the brushes.

10. In a. polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support,reciprocable brushes at each side of said support, means for recip-Copies of this patent may be obtained for rocating said brushes, a brushrotatable upon a horizontal axis to engage the reciprocable brushes,means for rotating said brush and reversing the direction of its r0-tation in timed relation to the actuation of the reciprocating brushes,a receptacle for blacking movable in a horizontal plane into and out ofengagement with said rotatable brush, and means for moving saidreceptacle in timed relation to the actuation of the brushes.

11. In a polishing machine, the combination of a shoe support, areciprocable carriage at each side of the shoe support, brushes mountedupon said carriages, means for reciprocating the carriages, a brushadjacent to the heel portion of the shoe support rotatable upon anupwardly extending axis, a brush adjacent to and above the toe portionof the shoe support rotatable upon a horizontal axis, means forsupplying blacking to each of the rotatable brushes, and means foractuating the rotatable brushes comprising vertical shafts, sprocketwheels on said shafts, and a sprocket chain engaging said sprocketwheels and attached intermediate its ends to one of said car riages.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED D. WASHINGTON.

Vitnesses LEWIS E. FLANDERS, ANNA M. Donn.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

